


Bad Guy

by Juniper11



Series: How Loki Loved Sakura (When a Jotun Loves a Ninja) [3]
Category: Naruto, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Alien Cultural Differences, Arguing, Bad Decisions, Big brother steve rogers, Breaking Up & Making Up, Clint Gave Up, Crossover, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Established Relationship, F/M, Haruno Sakura Has Issues, He HATES that Loki makes her happy, Older Man/Younger Woman, Papa Clint Barton, Protective Loki (Marvel), Rare Pairings, Steve does too, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony just wants Sakura happy, Tony's Buttercup, Tony's Princess, Uncle Tony Stark, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:34:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22131877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juniper11/pseuds/Juniper11
Summary: It was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Tony was going to work on that because he wasn't going to be dragged into the madness again.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Loki (Marvel), Loki & Tony Stark
Series: How Loki Loved Sakura (When a Jotun Loves a Ninja) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591006
Comments: 5
Kudos: 81





	Bad Guy

Under usual circumstances, Tony would say that life was good. He was a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist superhero. It didn’t get much better than that, but even he had trials that he had to endure.

Enduring was what he was doing with his Buttercup’s villainous boyfriend. He had tried to raise her right, but he supposed no child could be perfect. Loki came and went in his tower as he pleased. 

Loki. The Asgardian that destroyed New York, Loki. Entered _his_ tower—

But that wasn’t the point. The point was that the bastard had his grubby hands all over his suddenly grown niece of the heart. It was unnerving, but he was dealing with it like the grown man that he was. 

So it was no surprise to wander into the common area half dead and needing caffeine spotting Loki and Sakura there as well. Sakura was known to be wrapped around Loki like she was another appendage, and Loki tended to pretend he didn’t notice she was there at all. This time was different, though. 

This time they were arguing.

“You will tell me how long it has been, Sakura, and you will tell me now.” Loki’s voice was cold and harsh, but Sakura didn’t flinch at the tone. Instead, she arched a brow, folded her arms across her chest, and looked at him challengingly. 

“I’m fine, Loki.”

“Do you think I’m playing games with you?”

“No, I don’t. I _do_ think you’re crossing a line.”

“ _Crossing—“_

“Yeah, like how you felt when I told you that maybe instead of attacking a whole city, you should just attack Thor and stop dragging the whole team into it.”

Tony stopped breathing because if he hadn’t, he was sure he’d start laughing. He knew he should leave before either one of them noticed that he was a witness to their spat. The engineer eased toward the elevators and quietly as he could.

“That has nothing to do with this! We’re talking about your wellbeing!”

“And I’m talking about the wellbeing of millions of citizens!”

“I don’t care about them!”

“Well _, obviously_.”

“You will cease changing the subject!” Tony had almost made it to the elevators. “Stark!”

Tony groaned. The last thing he needed was to be pulled into a domestic dispute involving the god of Mischief. Slowly, Tony turned and faced the two of them. Oddly enough, Sakura wouldn’t make eye contact.

“Ask her how long it has been since she has attained sustenance.” 

Tony ran that sentence through his mind again and then frowned. “Sakura, have you stopped eating again?”

“ _Again!_ ” Loki shouted.

“Tony, this is my fight with Loki. I have to ask that you stay out of it.”

Tony almost smiled because it was a nice try. Had the subject matter been about anything else, it would have worked, but Sakura had developed a nasty habit that they were desperately trying to break.

“Answer my question Sakura.” She ran a hand over her face and shrugged. “Kitchen. Now.”

He ignored the smug look on Loki’s face as he trailed behind the two. 

“What do you want to eat?” She opened her mouth, and Tony knew she was going to say ‘nothing,’ so he glared at her. She shifted uneasily, and Tony said, “Jarvis, call Clint.”

Sakura then proceeded to sing like a canary, “I want anko dumplings, and I want them to taste like my mother made them. I want a pizza-two of them. One with every meat known to man on it. The other I don’t care about. I just need it. I want turkey, and I want it smothered in so much gravy that everyone will think that’s how it died. I want Brussel sprouts, and they’d better have garlic on them. I want—“

She kept going for a while, and Jarvis placed her order because there was no way Tony could cook all that. As she kept talking, the incredulous look on Loki’s face grew by the second only to be turned into rage. Tony tried to cut off the destruction at the pass.

“Thanks for noticing Loki. We’ve been trying to break her of the bad habit, but it’s been difficult.”

“She is right here.” Tony ignored her, so did Loki.

“Why does she do this?”

“We don’t know. She’s been like this since the Enchantress got her.”

“There is no residual magic left from the likes of her.”

Tony shrugged. “Then, it’s psychological.”

“She is still right here.”

Tony looked at Sakura. “If you’re going to act like a child, then you’ll be treated like one.”

Sakura slammed her hand on the table. “You make it seem like I’m doing it on purpose. I’m not. I’m just not hungry.”

Tony laid a hand on Sakura's shoulder and squeezed gently. “Sakura, you just ordered an army’s worth of food for yourself. I think you’re _starving_.” 

Sakura made a move to leave, but Loki grabbed her. “You will not leave until you eat.”

She would have jerked away, but Tony said, “Sakura, please. I’ll stay and eat with you.”

:::

After Sakura ate eighty percent of the food she’d ordered, she left without a word. Tony assumed that she was going to fall into a food-induced coma.

She didn’t say a word to either of them as she left. That usually meant she was pissed.

Tony expected Loki to leave immediately, but he didn’t. 

“I don’t understand. Is she not mortal? Will she not die?”

“As far as I know, she is. Sakura doesn’t too much talk about her physiology. She doesn’t want the information to get into the wrong hands.”

“She is my lover. I would not harm her if given this knowledge.”

Tony could have lived without ever knowing the status of Sakura and Loki’s sexual relationship. He now wanted to claw his skin off. He would share the information with Clint when he returned home because misery loved company.

“Does she know that?”

Loki scowled. “She should.”

“But does she? She made a point earlier that you can’t just ignore. Your fight is with Thor, and yet we all—including her keep getting dragged into it. You think she doesn’t get hurt in those battles?”

“I’ve never seen her injured. She has been perfectly safe! She is a skilled warrior.”

Tony couldn’t believe the height of naivete that he was hearing. Loki couldn’t possibly be serious. “Sakura is a healer. Did you know that?”

From the way his entire body stiffened, he could tell he hadn’t. 

“Sakura creates illusions. She is strong.” Loki began.

“She’s more than that. A lot more.” Tony wanted to tell him that he should wonder why he doesn’t know these things about Sakura, but he didn’t want another date with a window. 

:::

_Two weeks later:_

Doom was an asshole. That was a fact and not an opinion. 

“Back me up, Jarvis.”

“Of course, sir. He is most unpleasant.”

Tony’s suit showed just how much of an asshole he was with the damage it had taken in their last battle. He was almost ready to fabricate a new armor when Sakura came into his workshop. This was something he noticed immediately because he now made a mental note to _see_ her. 

“What’s going on, Cupcake?”

Tony frowned immediately after his question because it was apparent that Sakura was upset. 

“What did you say to him?”

Tony blinked. He had been in his lab all day. The only person he had talked to was Jarvis, and he worked hard at keeping it that way. 

“Say to who?”

“Loki.” Tony opened his mouth but then closed it. “What did you say to him?”

“Nothing that can make you look like you are right now.”

Sakura huffed. “Just tell me, please.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair, making it messier than it already was. “I just told him you’re a healer, and I’m pretty sure you’re mortal.”

Sakura paled. “You told him I’m a medic?”

“You are, right? I’m pretty sure I didn’t lie about that.”

“You should have.”

“I—what?”

“I didn’t want him to know that for a reason. Tony, he thought I was the only person in the world that he hadn’t hurt.”

“That’s not true. When the Enchantress—“

“That didn’t count to him! That was her fault, not _his_. Now he knows that there have been other times—“

“Sakura, we literally fight this guy. If he didn’t realize that we come home black and blue sometimes, that’s his problem. No. It’s ours because he keeps doing it.”

Sakura growled. “You get this, Tony. I know you do. Come on!”

“Get what?”

“That he loves me. That he’s been hurting me.” Oh. _Oh._ “He broke up with me.”

Tears fell as she said the last. Tony closed the distance between them and pulled her close to him. “I’m sorry, kiddo. It wasn’t…I didn’t mean…”

Sakura just nodded her head and kept crying.

:::

Tony had questions, but he couldn’t just waltz up to Loki and ask them. For one, the guy was hard to find. Even if he could find him, Tony was certain his line of questioning would lead to his untimely demise. So, no, he couldn’t ask Loki. Instead, he went to the next best thing.

Thor had just arrived back from Asgard looking as fresh as a daisy. “My friends!” He chimed boisterously. “I have returned.”

The others welcomed him home, and Tony watched Sakura give him a wan smile before exiting the room as soon as she could without being noticed. As soon as she left, Tony approached Thor.

“Thor, buddy, do you have a few moments to spare? I need to talk to you.” Tony saw Natasha’s eyes light up with curiosity then added. “Privately.”

“Of course.”

:::

Toy led Thor to his lab. He looked puzzled by why Tony would take him there of all places, but it was the only place that he felt safe enough having the conversation without being overheard. His Tower was secure, but he did live with spies.

“I had a couple of questions about Asgardians and their thoughts on certain things.”

Thor looked intrigued. Tony didn’t want to launch into his thoughts lest Thor question him more than what he wanted, so he began with, “Are there any social taboos on Asgard? Take, for instance, here, going up to a stranger and questioning them on their sexuality is frowned on.”

“There are some. Questioning someone’s prowess as a warrior is one of the top five.”

“Oh? What would happen if you were to do so, and they found out about it?”

“They could challenge you to prove their worth.”

“What else?”

“Well, the worse thing that can be said about a person is that they abuse a loved one. That…” Thor’s features darkened. “ _That_ someone would kill you for.”

“Not that I don’t understand, but why is that such a serious offense to you?”

“You have to understand Man of Iron that to imply that someone would deliberately hurt their beloved is worse than any crime on Asgard. It means that you have no scruples, no pride, no dignity. It means that you are _nothing_. To find your beloved is something to take great pride in. To harm them…there are no words.”

“So what about people who do it? Say on accident?”

Thor looked at Tony with something close to pity. “If it happened to me, I’d wish for a speedy death.”

“But if it were just an accident—“

“I didn’t say I’d court it. Just that I’d wish for it.”

:::

He shouldn’t feel terrible. Loki was a bad guy, and the further away from Sakura he was, the better. Hearing of their breakup should’ve made him euphoric. Instead, he felt strangely like an ass.

It was worse because He knew he knew that Sakura was faking being fine. She should know better than to try that around him. He was a master at that, and she was just his padawan. 

He wasn’t surprised that no one else knew what had happened. He hadn’t told anyone, and he was sure the only reason Sakura said anything to him because he had been somewhat involved in the demise of their relationship. 

A month later and the strain was starting to show. Tony suspected it had a lot to do with Loki not attacking during that time. A month was a long time for the god of Mischief to behave, and even Sakura knew that. Tony was sure that was about the time that Sakura realized that it was over. Her behavior started to become a bit erratic.

Steve approached him first because he was certain Clint and Natasha went directly to Sakura, who Tony bet stonewalled them. 

“What’s going on with Sakura?” Tony opened his mouth to lie and say he didn’t know. “I know you know Tony. You’ve been watching her like a hawk for weeks.”

Tony sighed. “It’s not my place to tell.” 

“It is when it’s affecting her out in the field.” Tony winced. Sakura had taken a hard hit the previous day, and it had knocked her unconscious briefly. It wasn’t something that would have happened if she had been focused. “I’ll have to bench her.” Steve continued. 

Tony groaned. “You can’t tell her I told you. She’s angry enough with me as it is.”

Steve’s brow furrowed. “What did you do, Tony?”

“It’s not my fault that Reindeer Games jumps to logical conclusions.”

Steve stared at him for a moment before a delighted look crossed his face. “They broke up?”

“Yeah, over a month ago. And don’t go around looking so fucking happy. She’s really hurt.”

Steve’s smile faded. “She’s got to know that this is for the best.”

“Tell that to the kid’s heart.” Steve opened his mouth. “No. Hear me out, Cap. She lost everything in her old world. She comes here and the first relationship she gets in burns straight to hell—and she loves this guy something fierce. She has to because only _love_ can overlook all that crazy. And it all ended because her teammate doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut.” Tony ran a hand over his face. 

“You’re bothered by this.”

“She’s not talking to me.” He’d bet money that she was barely eating too. He had already said something to Clint, and he was trying. 

Steve stared at him. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

“What? No.” Steve blinked at him, and the man should not try innocent faces on Tony. That mess would work with anyone else, but Tony saw through it. “Steve _no_. Don’t interfere.”

“Fine, but if another incident like today happens, I will bench her. I don’t care if she’s your favorite.”

Tony snorted. “She’s your favorite too.”

Steve didn’t deny it, but maybe the statement had been more for himself than for Tony anyway.

:::

Steve did pull her from the team. It hadn’t been pretty, and the fight that had ensued after was uglier. Steve had utterly lost his temper and told Sakura that he wasn’t going to let her kill herself. ‘Because of Loki’ thankfully went unspoken. 

:::

In the end, Loki returned. Not to Sakura to him. Tony hadn’t been happy with that turn of events. Exiting the shower and finding Loki lounging on his bed had been unpleasant. At least the scream he had let out was manly. 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Loki frowned but didn’t reply. Tony, figuring he wasn’t going to get an answer immediately, set out to get dressed. When he came back and looked at Loki, he realized he looked like death warmed over. Sakura wasn’t the only one taking the separation badly.

Irritated, Tony snapped, “Why the hell did you break up with her?”

“Is she ok?” No. She wasn’t. 

“If you care, go ask her yourself.” The look on Loki’s face could only be described as haunted. Tony sighed. “Look, Loki. This is something the two of you can work out, but you have to listen to each other. You didn’t have to leave her.”

“She doesn’t take care of herself. She doesn’t do what’s best for herself. Staying with me would be leading her on a path to destruction.”

“Maybe.” Tony agreed. “But it’s her choice. You don’t have a right to take that away from her.” Loki snarled him, but Tony had no trouble standing his ground. “The kid loves you. _I_ don’t know what the hell she sees in you. If I had my way, she’d be over you and live a life of happy chastity.”

Loki snorted. 

Tony did not want to know why. “Go back to her…and you know what? Take it from someone who’s been in the dog house before, grovel. Do a lot of it.” Loki looked indignant. “Or you can do it your way. Tell me how that works out.”

:::

Loki showed up in the common area while the entire team was there to talk to Sakura. The act was regrettable. The tongue lashing the trickster received (and took) was something of Legend. 

* * *

After that, Steve could often be found in the corner of his lab sketching, occasionally giggling to himself.

* * *

When Loki showed up again in Tony’s bedroom, he wasn’t even surprised. Although he did wonder why this was his life. 

He moved to his nightstand and grabbed a book he had purchased from it, and tossed it to Loki. “She’ll like it.”

Loki frowned. “This is no courting gift.” It was a medical textbook, and Sakura loved learning everything new about the body that she could.

Courting. He said courting. Tony was suddenly dying inside. This had to be worse than the palladium but he could do this. For Sakura, he could do it.

“Is that what you’re doing? Courting her? Are you planning on marrying her? A mortal?” Loki remained silent. “Give her the damned book Loki and get out of my bed before someone comes in here and gets the wrong idea.”

Loki disappeared, but he took the book with him.

* * *

It was three months since the breakup when he saw Sakura smile again. He hadn’t realized that it was something that he had been missing until he had been graced with it again. Sakura waltzed up to him where he had been nursing his second cup of coffee and kissed him on the cheek. Tony blinked and looked at Clint, who got a kiss of his own. 

“How are you, sweetheart?” Clint asked cautiously. 

“I’m good, Papa.”

Clint and Tony exchanged looks as Sakura stole food off the plate that Clint had been eating and practically floated out of the kitchen.

Clint scowled. “They’re back together, aren’t they?”

“Probably,” Tony confirmed.

“I feel sick because I’m glad.”

“I know the feeling.”

* * *

Steve, on the other hand, was pissed. Steve was a jerk, though, so it was okay.

* * *

_Previously:_

“What are you doing here, Loki?” Sakura moved away from the window of her bedroom that she had been staring listlessly out of. She folded her arms across her chest and held herself tightly as she looked at Loki, who had a box in his hand wrapped in dark green paper with a gold bow. She looked at the gift and back at him, confused. 

“Begging for your forgiveness.”

“For?”

“ _Everything._ ”


End file.
